Night latch



,Man 6, 1923.. 1,447,755.

W. HI BRABANT.

NIGHT LATCH.

FILED DEC-1,1921.l

Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

STAT-Es rei..

WILLIAM H. BRABANT, or SVHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN.

NIGHT LATCH.

Application filed December 1,1921. Serial No. 519,178.

new and useful Improvements. in Night y the usual manner,

Latches, of which the followingA is a specification. 1

The object of this invention is to provide simple and inexpensive means which may be readily` applied to any lock and by which the lock may be rendered incapable of operation from the outside of the door to which it is applied. The invention provides mechanism which may be housed within a door knob and by'which the knob may be set to rotate freely upon the spindle or to actuate the spindle as may be desired by the owner, or authorized person. vention is illustrated inthe accompanying irawings and will be hereinafter fully set forth, the novel features being particularly pointed out in claims following the detailed,

description.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the door showing my improved lock applid thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, through the knob and the mechanism constituting the present invention;

` Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in a dilierent position;

Fig. 4 is a detail section on theline 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section upon the line 5-5'of Fig. 4; y

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a cap employed inthe inventlon.

The door 1 may be of any desired size or form and is equipped with a' latch 2 in a lock plate 3 being se- ',cured upon the side of the door and furnishing one of the bearings for the knob spindle. The knob spindle 4 is of the usual type and upon the inner side of the door is provided with the usual fixed knob while at the outer side of the' -door the knob 5 .is provided and is adapted to rotate freely about the spindle or be operatively con.

nected therewith according` to the adjust.

ment of thepresent invention. The knob "5 may be given any desired configuration and may conveniently be. constructed of two The in,

shells joined together at their meeting edges by welding or otherwise; The inner shell is `constructed with an elongated hub or sleeve` 6 which fits around the knob spindle 4, as clearly Shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and has a bore of greater diameter than the knob spindle, the opening 7 at the inner end of said sleeve -or'hub being circular whereby'the knob may easily rotate about the spindle when, properly set. The outer shell or member of the' knob is provided with a central circularfopening.which receives the outer end of a lock barrel 8 which is constructed adjacent its outer end with an annular flange 9 adapted to bear against the inner surface 'of the knob and thereby maintain the proper relation between the barrel and the knob. At its inner end, the barrel is provided with an annular flange or rim 10 through which bolts or pins 11 are inserted to engage sockets in the base 12 of the inner member of the knob whereby relative rotation between the knob and vthe lock barrel will be prevented, nuts or may be separated to make repairs or renewals. The barrel 8 is cylindrical in form and within the barrel is rotatably fitted a key spindle or tumbler 14, the said key spindle being provided With a longitudinal sloth* 15 to receive the key 16 and normally registering with a notch 17 in the outer end of thebarrel 8. A flange 18 on the key spindle near the outer end thereof engages against the front wall portion 19 of the barrel and thereby prevents the key spindle moving outwardly through the barrel. The

key spindle 14 projects inwardly beyond the end of the barrel 8 and its inner end portion is' formed into a worm 2O which 'passes through the centralhub portion 21 of a lock plate 22 which has its ends slidably fitted upon the bolts or pins 11, the bore of the hub member 21 having an internal spiral groove formed therein to operatively'engage the worm 20 so that, when the key spindle is rotated, thel said hubl and; lock plate will be caused to move longitudmally of the said spindle in an obvious manner. The inner extremity of the boreof the hub 21 is of angular outline and is adapted to receive and engage the outer end of a cap 23 which is mounted upon the outer end of the knob spindle and has an external an- .gular cross section whereby it may enter the angular end ofthe bore of the hub 21 yand thereby effect operative engagement between the cap and the hub. This cap 23 `has a circular opening 24 in its outer end to receive the circular `lug 25 on the inner extremity of the key spindle so that the cap furnishes a bearing for the key spindle and permits rotation of 'the same. The interior of the cap 23 Ais preferably rectangular, as `indicated at 26, so that it will fit closely upon the end of the knob spindle 4, and a spring 27 is coiled around the knob spindle y between the flange 28-at the. inner end of the cap 23 and a washer or abutment 29 held to therknob spindleby a pin 30', as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Mounted upon the disc or flange 10l of the lock barrel isa spring-pressed dog 31 whichpasses through an opening 32 in the barrel 8 and is 'adapted to engage a socket'33 in the key spindle so that normally relative rotation of the key spindle" and thel lock barrel will be pre`. vented. Diametrically opposite the socket 33 and opening 32, the lock barrelis provi'ded with a slot or opening 34 through which projects a key guard or4 ward 35, theedge of wh1ch is properly shaped to pre` ventoperation of the key spindle and the lockbarrel by a key not having the proper form. This key guard 35 is constructed with one or more notches 36 in its inner upper edge, as Vshown most clearly in Fig. 5 and the notches, of course, may be of various sizes and' shapes, the key 16 being constructed with lugs or teeth 37 which will be ofthe proper size, shape and arrangement to pass through the notches of the guard and the inner end of the key is constructed with a tooth 38 having a beveled end 39 adapted to'ride under the end of the dog 31 and thereby lift the same out of engagement with the notch or socket 33. The key guard 35 is provided with a foot 40 which is secured to the flange or disc.10 Ibya screw or similar device 41 inserted through a slot 42 in the foot to be-secured inthe disc or flange. This arrangement penmits the key guard to be adjusted so as to attain the proper co-operation between the key, the guard andthe lock.

When the spindle and the barrel are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1, the

key may be inserted in the barrel, but it the slot 16 of the key spindle is out 'of alinement with the notch 17 in the barrel, the key cannot be inserted. `When the parts are set as Shown in` Fig. 2, the angular inner end of thehub member 21 will be engaged around the outer end of the cap 23 andas the hub is held to the knob by the members 11,- rotation of the knob will be transmitted to the knob spindle and thelatch 2 released. If 'it be desired to set the deviceso that the door knob door cannot be opened from the outside, the key 16 is inserted in the barrel 14 and lthe barrel then rotated about its own lon itudinal axis, the insertion of the key re easing the dog 31, as previously stated. As the key spindle is rotated, the-worm 20 on the inner end portion thereof will actv upon the internally threaded wall so-that the said hub will be caused to ride outwardly to the osition shown in Fig. 3. This position of the parte will be attained by .one com-plete rotation of the key spindle and it will be readily noted that the inner angular end of the bore of the hub 21has been ,brought beyond the inner end of the cap 23 s that these members are no longer engaged. Consequently, if the knob be rotated, it will simpl f rotate freely about the knob spindle 4 an the latch-2 2 will not be withdrawn. The pins or bolts 1l prevent rel.- ative rotation between the knob, t e lock ba r rel'and the lock plate22 at all times so that 'whether ornot such rotation will eiect rotation of the knob spindle 4 and thereby withdraw the latch 2 will depend on whether or not the lock plate 22 is in engagement with. the` ca 23. The' luof 25 at thel inner extremity o the key spindle provides a suppor-t -i`or the cap 23 and it will be readily noted that the worm portion of the key spindle co-operatinfr with the end of the lock spindle prevents relative longitudinal movement of the cap but as the knob spindle may sometimes be accidentally .shifted through manipulation of theknob at the inner side ofthe door I provide vthe spring 27 which holds the cap, constantly to the key spindle and, therefore, in proper position to be eng'aged by the lock plate 22.

My improved lmechanism is very simple in its construction and'*arran gement of its parts and may be readily applied to any and knob spindle so that'in order to apply my invention to locks and doors nw in use, it is necessary merely to .sub-

stitute my -improve'd mechanism for one knob and it is not necessary to supply an vice is eliicient wlthout detracting from the Hsightly appearance of the door and will of the hub 21 .entire new lock or latch. My improved dethe proper key is prevented'by the provision of the key guard and an infinite num-l ber of locks may be produced, no two of which may be actuated by the same key by merely minutely varying the outline or dimensionsoi1 the key sponding portions ot the Having thus described is. claimed as new is:

keys. p 'the invention, what 1 The combination withjavknob spindle,

and aknob rotatably mounted on the spindle,

lof a lock plate housed within the knob and guards and the correconstantly concentric to the lspindle and adapted to be locked to the knob spindle,

. means Afor permittinfr sliding movement of the lock-plate Within the knob and preventing rotation thereof relative to the knob,

vand key-controlled means carried by the knob for effecting the sliding'movementvof the lock plate.

'2. The combination of la knobspindle, a knob rotatably mounted upon the spindle, a loc/k plate mounted Within the knob and constructed to engage the end of the spindle whereby relative rotation of the plate and i the spindle will be prevented, said plate having an internally threaded hub, meansfor permitting the said l'ockp'late to move longitudinally relative to the knob spindle and prevent rotation of said plate relative to the knob, a worm fitted in and engaging the internally threaded hubvof said lock plate, and a key-controlled spindle rigid `with said i worm and housed Within the knob.

3. The'combination of a knob spindle, a

f knob loosely mounted on the spindle, a cap carried by the end of the spindle and having an' angular cross section, a spring 1 coiled around the spindle within the knob and bear ing on said cap to hold it normally outward, a worm arranged in axial alinement with the knob spindle and within the knob, a lock plate operativelyvfitted upon said Worm and 'Shaving an angular bore adapted to engage the said cap whereby to be locked to the capand the knob spindle, the saidworm having a circular lug at its end' furnishing a'. bearing forsaid cap, and key-controlled means Within the knob for operatingsaid Worm.

4. The combination of a knob spindle, a

knob loosely fitted upon the spindle, a lock barrel mounted Within the knob, a lock plate disposed between the said lock barrel and the knob spindle, means for securing the lock barrel to the knob, said means Aalso preventing relative rotation between the knob and Within said -loek barre-l and constructed to receive an operating key, means controlled by the key spindle for locking the knob to the key spindle or releasing' it therefrom, a dogrcarried ov the lock barrel and engaging the key spindle to normally prevent rota- -tionoil the key spindle, said dog being releasable by.` the inseitionof a key intothe key spindle, and a key guard vcarried by the look barrel and extending to the key spindle whereby the key snindlemay be rotated only by a predetermined key.

In testimony-whereof I aiix my signature. A

' vviLLIAM H. BRABANT. las] 

